Athletics

An integral part of the FWCD experience is participation in athletics. FWCD Falcons demonstrate a high regard for sportsmanship, effort, health, fitness and school spirit.

Shelley Rains and James Rains are taking the lead as co-Interim Athletic Directors for FWCD in the 202021 school year. They take the helm from Brian Phelps, who returned to Cincinnati with his family. Brian’s wife, Dr. Allison Phelps, was offered a too-good-to-turn-down job. Brian then began searching in the area and was offered the role of Director of Athletics at Indian Hill Schools.

“Brian has been every bit the amazing educator and leader we thought he would be, and the whole family has made their mark on our school and on our hearts,” said Head of School Eric Lombardi.

Lombardi chose Shelley and James because they are experienced, in-tune with FWCD’s culture and core values, and committed to and respected at Country Day. “We are lucky to have get us through the year and to our next Athletic Director,” he said.

Shelley will retain the Director of Physical Education role during the year, but will step away from girls basketball while serving as the Interim Director of Girls Athletics. James will retain his Middle School Athletic Director role while adding the title of Interim Director of Boys Athletics.

Others in the Athletic Department will step up to help in the interim year. Associate Athletic Director and Head Trainer Ed Chisholm is stepping back into an accounting role to keep the financial books. Assistant Athletic Director and Strength and them willing to take on new duties to

Conditioning Coach Shane Jenke is taking on an event coordinator role. Upper School History Teacher Quinton Davis will coach the girls varsity basketball team in the 2020-21 season.

James Rains

Shelley Rains

FWCD student-athletes began Phase 1.0 of optional strength and conditioning workouts on campus in accordance with COVID-19 protocols and guidelines on June 10. The Monday-Thursday workouts took place outside throughout the summer with a brief hiatus from June 29-July 17. Phase 2.0 began on August 17 and allowed some inside workouts and sports-specific training. Upon admittance to practice, students were screened for COVID-19 symptom’s, maintained 6-foot social distancing, and wore masks. ATHLETICS

ATHLETICS

The Falcon Club, FWCD’s athletic booster club, strives “to create school spirit,

school community.” The organization supports all teams at the varsity, junior varsity and Middle School levels, as well as overall Lower School and Middle School PE programs. All Falcons, from junior kindergarten through 12th grade, benefit from the financial and volunteer support the Falcon Club gives back to the Athletic Department. The Falcon Club gave back $100,000 to the School during the 2019-20 academic year. Following are some of the items made possible through their fundraising efforts.

Patton Field House (final installment)

• ThorGuard lightning prediction system • Social media contract work • Neptune/Game Time Music • Agile (HUDL athletic director package) • LocalLive (cameras and streaming) • Maintenance on equipment room rolling racks • FinalForms fees • Sterling FX Photography fees • Filming for Middle School football

• Monday morning greeting breakfast • Sports award dinners

• Laptop computer for social media director • Battle of Bryant Irvin spirit flags • Falcon mascot balance • Volleyball standards, pads, and rack • Tennis trash cans • Table covers • Track and field sand pit covers • Alert Services Ohasis water cows • Falcon Nest air-conditioning repair • Stadium field timers • Falcon field hockey SPC win meal • Mower • Football championship photo, plaques, framed jersey, rings

• Dryer for girls locker room • Concessions tub • Track and field, swimming record boards • Auto-Belay System and additional supplies for climbing wall • Cover for Falcon Club grill • Baseball backstop netting • SAGE Dining Services meals • 12 Season Award board • Baseball “Hack Attack” pitching machine • Football players’ and coaches’ meals

ATHLETICS

On Monday, April 20, 2020, at 8:20 p.m. (2020 military time), Fort Worth Country Day paid tribute to its 2020 FWCD Falcon seniors. At that time, the lights in Rosacker Stadium, the FWCD baseball stadium and the tennis courts shined bright for 20 minutes and 20 seconds to honor the student-athletes. A program, emceed by Athletic Director Brian Phelps, was live-streamed on the athletics Instagram. It featured eight special guests from the Athletic Department, who offered words of wisdom and support to the students as their final season was cut short as a result of the pandemic and Fort Worth’s “Stay Home, Work Smart” orders to flatten the curve of COVID-19. In the fall 2019 issue of the Falconer, Kenzi Carter ’20 and Christopher Edwards ’20 were highlighted for committing to take their sports to the next level in college. Two more seniors, Liberty Croutch and Stephen Murrin, made commitments in the spring. Crouch will play baseball at Occidental College, and Murrin will play football at Washington and Lee University.

Coach Hugo Muñoz is no stranger to FWCD. He has served as the Program Director and Varsity Coach for Falcon wrestling since 2017. Under his leadership, the program has been thriving and has put Falcon wrestling back on the map. In addition to coaching wrestling, Muñoz will teach Lower School Physical Education and coach football. He is excited to join the team full-time because he feels FWCD has some of the best teachers and staff in DFW. He is looking forward to learning from them and growing as an educator. Muñoz is also excited about the opportunity to meet new students and help “mold them

Allie Stewart ’20, Ozzie Fleischer ’20, into driven individuals.”

Photos by Glen E. Ellman

Fort Worth Country Day’s Class of 2020 Commencement Exercises looked different this year, but that difference made it all the more special. Hosted on campus, graduation took place on the field in Rosacker Stadium on, June 6, at 10 a.m. Amid COVID-19 protocols and strict Texas Education Agency guidelines related to graduations, FWCD graduates were seated six feet apart in front of a stage, flanked by the faculty. Students were invited to bring five members from their immediate family household to celebrate, sitting in socially distanced “pods” that were spread out across the field modeling the same six-foot social distance. It was a sight to see. These students and faculty members had not been together, outside of their cars since March 6.

The Class of 2020 gathered together for a social-distanced graduation ceremony on the Rosacker Stadium field on June 6. It was a hot morning, but the students and their families happily celebrated this milestone.

The students in this 100-member class submitted 707 total applications and were accepted to 130 colleges and universities. They earned more than $13 million in meritbased scholarships and will attend 42 different institutions throughout the U.S. in the fall. As of June, 59% of the class will attend out-of-state colleges and universities. Valedictorian Stephanie Morgan will attend Duke University, where she will double major in biomedical engineering and classical language, and minor in computer science engineering. Salutatorian Reena Alame plans to attend Southern Methodist University, where she will major in biology and “This class is distinguished by a pursue a pre-med track, with either a double major or minor in business. distinctive kindness and a community The June 6, 2020, celebration is thought to be a homecoming spirit that our FWCD mission calls for graduation. The last one hosted on campus was in 1993. the ‘commitment to serve.’” The Class of 2020 boasts its first third-generation students to attend and graduate from FWCD: cousins, Brett Nowlin ~ Steve Stackhouse and Abigail Anton. Brett’s and Abigail’s grandmother, Brett Connell Meekins, graduated in 1967. Brett’s mother, Wesley Meekins Nowlin, graduated in 1989, and Abigail’s mother, Lauren Meekins Anton, graduated in 1993. Breakthrough Fort Worth also took great pride in five Class of 2020 FWCD graduates who went through its program: Eduardo Tovar, Orlando Robles, Raúl Frías Pérez, Alex Orozco and Joy Yun. Spencer Grubbs is the only student in the class to accept an appointment from a U.S. service academy. He will attend the United States Air Force Academy. In addition, four seniors in the fine arts, Allie Hughes (dance), Claire Guthrie (theatre), Vanessa into FWCD’s chapter of Cum Laude as a junior. She

A National Merit Commended Student,

joined the Fort Worth Country Day community as a seventh-grader. She will attend Duke University, where she plans to double major in biomedical engineering and classical language and minor in computer science engineering. “I was inspired to choose biomedical engineering as my major after reading The Hot Zone,” she said. “I chose to major in classical languages because of the passion I developed for Latin during Over the course of her high school career, Morgan voraciously pursued the 3A’s. She excelled in seven Honors classes, eight AP classes and one post-AP class and was inducted

my time at FWCD.” enthusiastically participated in the fall play, spring musical and orchestra for all four years of high school. A member of the softball team as a freshman, Morgan moved into the manager position as a sophomore and junior.

Morgan has fond Falcon memories. “FWCD represents an environment of boundless opportunity,” she said. “I was able to be a part of a wide array of clubs and activities in myriad subjects. Being a part of various clubs was a huge part of my high school experience, when in one week I'd go from morning Latin Club practice to an announcements period to White Whale Reading Club meeting to softball practice to rehearsal after school. This helped me develop a range of interests and occupy my spare time.”

Silva (drawing and painting) and Will Tuomey (dance), will continue to refine their talents in college. Six seniors, Allie Stewart (women’s soccer), Liberty Crouch (women’s basketball), Ozzie Fleischer, (baseball), Kenzi Carter (women’s basketball), Stephen Murrin (football) and Christopher Edwards (men’s soccer), will participate in college athletics.

The ceremony began with Middle School Science Teacher Jimmy Brockway ringing the Tatum Bell on Rosacker Field 20 times. Alame set the tone for the morning, asking for a moment of silence. “It would be rash of me to ignore the unprecedented circumstance we are faced with in today’s world,” she said. “I would like to take these few moments of silence to honor the health care providers and essential workers in this audience who have continuously risked their lives and their family’s health during this pandemic to serve others, to remember the millions who have fallen ill during this time, and to commemorate George Floyd.”

She shared the valuable lesson she learned from March to June: “Life absolutely cannot be taken for granted,” she said. “... every single day is a gift … a chance to change the world, an opportunity to make a difference, a reason to never give up on your aspirations,

Outside of school, she served as a Breakthrough Fort Worth and remember to surround yourself with those you love most. Every day you must refuse complacency and embrace the world that is

Middle School Science Teacher Jimmy Brockway kicked off the ceremony by ringing the Tatum Bell 20 times. Brockway began his tenure at FWCD when the Class of 2020 was in seventh grade.

Reena Alame ’20 became a Fort Worth Country Day Falcon as a secondgrader. She plans to attend Southern Methodist almost always the community, which seems broad and generic,

University, where she will major in biology and pursue a pre-med track, with either a double major or minor in business.

The 3A’s are time-honored at FWCD, and Alame embraced them all. She was a standout student, taking seven AP classes, seven Honors courses and one Post-AP class. Alame’s art Quill team all four years of high school and, as a senior, served as Co-Editor-in-Chief. A focused student-athlete, Alame participated in track for six years, serving as team captain as a junior.

Teacher Assistant and a Research Volunteer in Dr. Andras Lacko’s lab at the University of North Texas Health Science Center, where she researched nanoparticle drug delivery targeting cancer cells.

“I am going to miss how amazing and supportive all the teachers were and the comfort of stepping on the FWCD campus and knowing this is a place where everyone simply wants the best for you,” she said. “I know that anytime you ask someone what they love most about FWCD, the answer is passion is journalism focused. She was a member of the Falcon

but that’s because the FWCD community is hard to describe in words. You just know by a gut feeling that it’s what you will miss the most.”

To read full valedictorian and salutatorian profiles visit fwcd.org/ graduation.

uncomfortable and grueling ... with perseverance and dedication.”

2019-20 Board President Laura Bonnell Alexander ’88 focused on the School’s core value of responsibility, particularly responsibility to self. “The most crucial responsibilities you’ll have in the coming years will be to ask others for help,” she said. “Asking for help is a sign of strength and maturity.

“... embrace responsibility for your health, your education and your future path, recognize all those ‘uncontrollable’ factors and events which also play a part in how your life unfolds,” Alexander continued. “In these instances, turn your attention to how you reacted to them and how you can persevere.”

For Head of School Eric Lombardi, this event served as a welcome home for so many. “Look around. Remind yourself of all the amazing experiences you had here over 13 or two years,” he said. “To say we are excited to celebrate you would be a colossal understatement.”

The Class of 2020 chose Director of Strategic Projects Bill Arnold ’86 as its faculty speaker. He shared a recent story of meeting a young receptionist named Rachel while checking into a Denver hotel. Rachel was having a rough day, and he panicked with an answer, “Well, KBO,” that he later felt was inadequate. (KBO or Keep Buggering On is how Winston Churchill ended many of his phone calls during World War II. It means “Hang

in there. Persevere.”) Upon thinking in his hotel room, Arnold had just the right words for her, so he returned to the reception desk only to find her gone.

“Today, I want to share what I intended to tell Rachel,” Arnold said. “I wanted Rachel to know that the worst things are never the last things.

“We have all been through a lot lately. Some worse than others. Pandemics and lockdowns and online AP tests and Zoom classes and curfews and the tragic killing of George Floyd,” he continued. “Remembering this phrase will not

(Opposite page, left to right) Ben Alexander hugs his mom 2017-20 Board President Laura Bonnell Alexander ’88.

Head of School Eric Lombardi presents Joy Yun with her diploma.

Abigail Anton takes a selfie on the field to commemorate the day.

The Class of 2020 processes onto the field along the Barrett Havran Track.

Taylor Womack enjoys her book while waiting for the ceremony to begin.

solve any of these problems. But remembering it can buy us some time until we are emotionally ready to handle our circumstances. It can give us a little breathing space until our heads and hearts are better able to produce creative thought, and the true blessing of our human spirit can emerge. If we keep buggering on, life will begin its magical alchemy.”

In her valedictory address, Morgan introduced the audience to Tom Crean and Mary Fields. Crean was an Irishman who enlisted in the Royal Navy at 15 with very little formal education. Crean spent his life on three Antarctic exploration voyages, including a 735-mile hike to recover the corpse of the leader of the expedition. Fields is commonly known as Stagecoach Mary, an ex-slave from Tennessee who became known for making supply runs on behalf of a convent, ultimately becoming, at the age of 60, the second woman and first black person to join the U.S. Postal service.

“On the surface, these two people have little in common … but they were united by a singular dedication to persevere in the face of insurmountable odds,” Morgan shared. “Both of them exhibited a determination to move forward that can be succinctly summarized by the Latin saying ‘Destitutus ventis, remos adhibe,’ rendered in idiomatic English as ‘When the winds fail, ply the oars,’ or in other words, ‘When your luck fails, do something about it.’

“Tom and Mary were normal people without any special announced this year’s gift: the Class of 2020 Tuition education or training who did extraordinary things because Assistance Fund. “In light of recent events, our class wants they were determined to succeed. In a lot of ways, we have to aid Country Day families impacted by the COVID-19 all done some extraordinary things for the same reason. pandemic and to continue to give financial aid to more Although we weren’t fighting off wolves or swimming in families in the future,” he said. “We, as a class, have Antarctic waters, we were working to score points at games experienced first-hand what can be taken away in such a short that seemed lost, to finish that paper during musical season time and want to turn that loss into something lasting and after getting home at 10 p.m., to adapt and succeed in a world impactful for the School community.” with an online classroom, all without being professionals in any sense of the Retiring Head of Upper School word. In going through our high school Steve Stackhouse presented the journey, we have worked hard, even class to the Head of School and and especially when luck wasn’t on our Board President for their diplomas. side, to get to this moment, when we The event was bittersweet for graduate and enter the world. I urge you Stackhouse, as this was his final to remember to ply the oars when the FWCD commencement. “How we wind fails and to, as Albert Einstein put respond in times of difficulty can it, ‘strive not to be a success, but rather shape us as individuals and define to be of value.’” us as a school,” he said. “The fund As the Class of 2020 selected speaker, the bonds of our community. Will Tuomey shared that he knew It will keep our School family graduation would happen: While he did together.” not know what day it would be, where it would be, or what time it would be, he The theme of Stackhouse’s message was sure that the class would somehow Will Tuomey addresess his class. about the Class of 2020 was all be together one last time. “After kindness. “Your kind initiative getting through the most tumultuous is appropriate and so true to the ending to a senior year in Country Day’s history, we should character of this class,” he said. “This class is distinguished by focus on the great things that overshadowed some of those a distinctive kindness and a community spirit that our FWCD losses,” he shared. “We realized how much, exactly, we took mission calls the ‘commitment to serve.’” for granted. Things like hanging out with our friends, going to a baseball game, dancing at prom, even just sitting in the As the class’s 100 names were called to receive their diplomas, Commons with our friends for announcements for a short they approached Lombardi and Alexander with a check for 15-minute break. It’s those precious moments we missed and the newly created fund and a small square of tissues (“trail of appreciate even more now.” tears”) to represent the pandemic. The total amount donated Tuomey shared how the class has become more united. was $5,600. “We were that class that had to deal with social distancing you created today will strengthen to the Class of 2020 Tuition Assistance Fund as of June 22 during the last part of their senior year. But we were also Alumni Association President Alexandra Stevens ’85 that class that had six athletes sign to play in college, helped welcomed the new graduates into the alumni fold. “Once start a blood drive at school, and had 10 National Merit you move your tassels, you will officially become the newest Commended Students,” he said. “This ending gives way for a alumni of our school, bringing the total number of graduates new beginning for all 100 of us.” to 4,265,” Stevens said. “After this morning, all 100 of you may never be in the same place at the same time again, but Each year since 2014, FWCD’s senior class has donated always remember that you have a common bond, and that a “senior gift” that funds a cause of their choice. Tuomey is your alma mater, Fort Worth Country Day. The bond you

share with the FWCD family is lifelong. Not only did you help write FWCD’s history, but you are still an important voice in our future.”

Lombardi encouraged the students to continue to be grateful and to keep being kind in their future endeavors. He then asked students to reach up, grab their tassels and move them from left to right. “With that move, you are a Fort Worth Country Day graduate,” he said. “Congratulations!”

Before processing off the field, the class looked up at the press box for a photograph and turned around for a photo of their decorated mortarboards. The students then followed usual for each of our 100 members of the Class of 2020,” have faced challenges. They have proved their resilience. They

the faculty and processed to the sides of the track where they “Graduation is always such a significant milestone in the life of a school and in the lives of each and every graduating senior. The sense of accomplishment was even bigger than Lombardi noted after the ceremony. “They left for spring break and didn’t come back. That we could get them on their campus again, one last time as a class, and that we could hand, at distance, each of them their hard-earned diploma in person was so gratifying. Those young women and men

threw their caps in celebration. made us proud and will continue to make us proud as they head across the country to their chosen universities. We are excited to see what they do with their lives.”

Amid restrictions due to COVID-19, FWCD honored its graduating class in a variety of ways. Beginning April 6, the School launched a social media campaign on the FWCD Facebook and FWCD and Upper School Instagram social media channels highlighting seniors and some of their favorite memories and words of wisdom. On April 10 and 11, seniors were seeing red ... as celebratory signs were hand-delivered (social-distancing practiced) to their homes by members of FWCD’s dedicated faculty. Head of School Eric Lombardi signed each and every one. Faculty members took to video and shared their words of wisdom and messages of support with the class on the FWCD Facebook page starting in early May.

On the class’s official graduation day, May 15, students and their families celebrated with a “drive-out” parade. Family members decorated their cars and drove their students through a predetermined “parade” route on campus. They made stops at various stations to pick up their yearbooks, composite pictures, FWCD plaid masks, a quote book from the Alumni Association, and a scroll featuring personalized faculty messages. At the end of the event, all cars parked for a short program before the official drive out from campus. The whole event was streamed live on the FWCD Facebook page so that the others could join in on the fun safely.

Madison Smith enjoyed the Class of 2020 Drive-Out Parade on what would have been the official graduation day. She decked out her car in orange since she’s headed to Pepperdine University in Malibu, California.

By Renee Pierce

The campus road. Five new facilities, two award-winning redesigns, numerous remodeled spaces, two ISAS accreditations, two ISAS Arts Festivals, a major strategic plan, parent to two Falcon graduates and more. All are achievements that stand as a testament to what one quiet, driven, devoted person can influence.

Joining the Fort Worth Country Day family in 1997 as Senior Director of Operations, Steve Stackhouse brought a range of independent school experience and promptly put it to use tackling projects that others passed on. “When he was hired, Graham Brown [Headmaster 1996-2001] and the leadership were working to grow the School from 80 students per class to 90 students per class,” recalled Assistant Head of Upper School Peggy Wakeland. “Steve just took on any charge when others threw their hands up and said, ‘It’s not my job.’ He was tasked to help grow the School, and he did that.”

Stackhouse arrived in Fort Worth with his wife, Laura, and then future Falcons, Ellie ’11 and Robbie ’14, after fulfilling a three-year term as Headmaster at The Steward School in Richmond, Virginia. Prior to that, he had served Norfolk Collegiate School for 11 years as a teacher, Director of Development, Interim Principal for Middle and Upper Schools, and Assistant Headmaster.

“He was an administrator that could just jump in and do what needed to be done because of his involvement in all aspects of an independent school,” said Joe Breedlove ’78, Executive Director of Breakthrough Fort Worth and FWCD Boys Basketball Program Director/Head Coach. “Today, his footprints are all over the School.”

Confirming what an important role Stackhouse – or “Stack” as he’s caringly called by those who worked closely with him – served at FWCD, former Head of School Evan Peterson H’15 (2002-15) said, “When it comes down to it, Stack was the ‘Dean of Work.’ The Heads of School got an assistant officer who helped manage efforts for finance, communications, business office, plant operations, plus he knew what was needed for students in the classroom. He was the boots on the ground, ironing out the details and making sure we never failed any of the tasks directed by the Board or needed for the School.”

When Stackhouse came to Country Day, the School was experiencing some growing pains. He had to carve out classrooms out of need, work through getting the campus road built, and determine what projects would best accommodate the growth. “I had one foot in business operations and one in education,” Stackhouse explained. “My job was to make sure those complemented each other and know where the compromise was.”

While campus structures are the most tangible achievements during Stackhouse’s tenure, he was involved in a number of impactful capacities during his 23 years with FWCD. Twice, he directed yearlong qualification studies for accreditation into the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest (ISAS), and he managed two 18-month planning efforts to host the annual ISAS Arts Festival, which brought more than 3,000 art students, instructors and judges from the Southwest region onto campus for the three-day event.

“Planning the accreditations is a big challenge,” Stackhouse pointed out, “but when the accreditation team comes onsite, you are able to fully realize all that has been accomplished. That’s when you get to see the real value in all of your work.”

Through the years, Stackhouse has worked with other leaders on initiating department audits, the Folio faculty evaluation system and the exchange program. He helped evolve Upper School courses/curriculum. He had a hand in refining the Advisory program, brought midterms back, and broadened the reach of the Capstone program. He worked to make campus operations more systematic and put systems in place for the repair/maintenance of campus resources.

During Peterson’s tenure, Stackhouse helped in greater detail with Head of School needs while Peterson tackled a health challenge. “It was more informal than formal,” Stackhouse shared. “My role there was keeping the community together and the trains moving during that time.”

Stackhouse’s interests didn’t stop with FWCD needs. Breedlove shared that Stackhouse played a key role in advocating for the Breakthrough Fort Worth program to be part of the FWCD family. He and Middle School History and English Teacher Shari Lincoln led early training for the program’s Teaching Fellows. “Stack was the one who coined

During his tenure as Head of Upper School, Steve Stackhouse broadened the reach of the Senior Capstone program.

the phrase, ‘Breakthrough is a school within a school,’” Breedlove shared. “To this day, that’s how we look at anything we structure for the program.”

Stackhouse, who remains on Breakthrough’s Advisory Committee, added, “It became clear in Breakthrough’s early days that the program needed stable leadership. When Joe took over, we created a system of leadership for its community. The city and Fort Worth ISD became partners, and FWCD fully committed to it. Programmatic stability started to emerge. We implemented an appeals calendar, and Fancy Meal, launched by former Assistant Director of Development Elizabeth Selzer, grew from a simple studentvisitor activity into an annual fundraising and student social development event.”

Stackhouse also helped start FWCD’s summer offerings, with Aimee Jenkins, who he deemed the “mother of summer programs.” They grew offerings from serving just 20 students to more than 1,300. “It outgrew me. It outgrew Aimee,” Stackhouse related. “Of course, that’s true of everything you do successfully.”

Stackhouse managed details to help build the strategic/ master plan that addressed needs determined in 2008 and 2009. Managing efforts to outline the School’s plan was a tremendous challenge. It encompassed outlining the Board’s and leadership’s collective vision for the mission, the campus plan, the endowment and student programming. All of this work was completed as he managed building projects that were part of the School’s 2004-07 Learning. Leading. Legacy.: A Campaign for FWCDS (LLL). Stackhouse felt the biggest metamorphosis in FWCD’s campus remodels was taking the former cafeteria building and turning it into the Sid W. Richardson Visual Arts Center. Another one of the three original buildings, it served as the School’s cafeteria from day one. Flipping it to become the beautiful arts facility it is today took countless hours of detail work. Stackhouse met the challenge head-on, knowing that work paved the way for a new community gem: the Lou and Nick Martin Campus Center, which continues to serve all stakeholders in the Falcon family. Both facilities won building industry awards for design and construction.

Past parent and 2009-11 Board President Randy Gideon expounded on Stackhouse’s work: “Only those who work with him know what a quiet, strong leader he is. Steve’s main goal was always trying to advance the School, and he owned it. He picked stuff up and got it done, aggregating the powers necessary to do so. Evan led, Steve executed, and, during their time, FWCD changed incredibly on a physical basis. As a Board Chair, it’s important to have staff who share the vision and work it out, so you can have that strategic success and continue to grow that kind of momentum.” Fulfilling the LLL building projects, Stackhouse turned his efforts to addressing immediate needs of the master plan he had coordinated, which included increasing Middle School enrollment, managing building/ campus resources and strategically budgeting for the School’s long-range interests. He managed the Paul W. Mason Middle School Expansion and helped to create strategic five-year budgets that gave stability to the School’s technology and tuition assistance resources, before moving on to manage the construction of the new tennis center and “Only those who work with him know what a quiet, strong leader he is. Steve’s main goal was always trying to advance the School, and he owned it.” ~ Randy Gideon Building projects were a significant part of Stackhouse’s focus and utilized his talents for coordinating details. He considers Patton Field House, which repositioned campus resources and set the stage for future growth. the Fischer Dining Pavilion (FDP) to be one of the biggest achievements he managed for the School, second only to completing the road through to the Bryant Irvin entrance. The FDP led the Learning. Leading. Legacy. Campaign projects and became a touch-point for the entire community. “It’s such “Probably one of the biggest achievements in all of the building projects was managing work so that the campus and learning environments weren’t compromised by the construction going on around them,” Stackhouse reflected. a part of the life of the School and all students,” Stackhouse explained. “We went through a lot to design it. I traveled all over to determine the best way to make it work for our community.” 2011-13 FWCD Board President Russell Laughlin added, “The Fischer Dining Pavilion, Martin Campus Center, Richardson Visual Arts Center, Mason Middle School Expansion and Patton Field House are really significant Reworking the Peter A. Schwartz Administration Building was important as it is one of three original campus structures. It had to accommodate more offices and be aesthetically pleasing as the first place prospective families land when they arrive on campus. Those redesign efforts earned FWCD a 2010 Historic Fort Worth Preservation Award. projects that were done on the expanse of a postage stamp, and running the business of the School still had to happen around that. It’s hard to do and not hurt your core business. For people who aren’t educated in this field, you can die on your sword if you’re not careful. Steve handled big jobs with no hiccups. That’s rare.”

Of all of the projects he worked to build, launch and/or nurture, Stackhouse admitted that building the road through campus has given him the biggest sense of accomplishment. “One of the best days of my career was when we opened the road,” he said. “It opened and we waited, but there were no calls. Traffic flow during carpool went well. It had been planned, and the plan worked. It was the first step in a broader vision for the campus, changing the campus’s dynamics, impacting the entire community, and setting us up to successfully manage the School’s growth.”

Country Day Lane opened in 2004. At the ribbon cutting were Chuck Silcox, City Council Member; Evan Peterson H’15, then Head of School; Kate Johnson; Bill Meadows; Mike Moncrief, Fort Worth Mayor; Steve Stackhouse; Sheila Johnson, Mark Johnson and Johnson family member.

Many closest to Stackhouse’s work also feel the campus road was important in his repertoire. “The campus road is probably his biggest achievement because of its importance to the School,” reiterated Head of School Eric Lombardi. “He had to work with so many factors to get the project done.”

Peterson added, “Something that, in my opinion, depicts the worker and leader that Steve has been is his growth through the building projects. When I arrived, building the road through campus was a top priority. It was Steve’s first venture into dealing with the government, codes, permits and city officials. He just dug in and figured it all out. By the time we built the Patton Field House, he was telling people in City Hall what they needed to do in processing our requests.”

Through all building and campus management needs, Stackhouse’s biggest support base was the caring men and women of the Plant Operations crew. Stackhouse led and made it a point to learn from them, too. “Steve was a fantastic boss and was great at supporting us,” shared Former Plant Operations Assistant Mary Weir. “I think it did Steve good to office with the Plant Ops Team he oversaw. It anchored him to the School and campus outside the classroom. He learned to appreciate how connected they were, that one didn’t work without the other.”

Maintenance Supervisor Clovis Murphree saw first-hand what a hard worker Stackhouse is. “He considered everything a challenge and wanted to do it,” Murphree said. “During the last master plan, he practically lived here. There were long evenings as he met with outside teams, took that input, and made it work with what was possible, handled permit work and more. It was a lot, and Steve just took whatever he was given and ran with it.

“I’ll always remember Steve for the teacher that he is – to everyone,” Murphree continued. “I have the mechanical know-how, background and experience to keep things running, but Steve taught me how to care for a school. You have to own it. Because of him, I can tell you that this 104 acres is important to me.”

Friend and former Assistant Head of School for Academics Brad Philipson can attest to Stackhouse’s impact as an educator. “When I arrived at FWCD in 2014, it was Steve who taught me my job and how the School differed from other places,” he said. “He is a thoughtful listener, a giver of sage advice, and able to expound on topics ranging from curriculum design to football to picnic food to classic soul music. As a leader, Steve embodies servant leadership. He leads by example with his work ethic, his dedication to the students, and his ability to manage what is most immediate, while never losing sight of the horizon.”

Speaking to Stackhouse’s leadership, Executive Assistant to the Head of School Cindy Allen added, “No matter what the endeavor was for Steve, he was so suited for that role. Whether

it was building or teaching or operations, one of Steve’s brightest talents is that he can so easily switch gears.”

Those talents served him well as he took on his most recent role as Head of Upper School. “He stepped in when Bill Arnold [’86] needed to step back,” Lombardi shared. “Steve stuck with it. From landmark caliber building projects to dealing with students and parents, he’s willing to tackle the things that draw heat, are unpopular and hard to weather. He does it all in stride. Throughout his career here, he has been devoted to doing the best thing for the School, and he put the School first. He is loyal, and we are indebted.”

After deciding to retire, Stackhouse assured Wakeland that he would work right up until he left. “He’s been true to that,” Wakeland said. “He’s worked every minute, through quarantine, online learning, delayed graduation, whatever has been needed. I believe that ultimately, his work ethic will be his legacy.”

Lombardi agreed wholeheartedly. “For the next 50 years, we will feel the effects of Steve’s involvement. He's a man of great dignity, grace and integrity,” he said. “He’s not kicking his heels as he moves on to his next big project; he has said he will be available for as long as we need him.” In fact, he’s helping with the Lower School and Middle School 2020-21 Return to Learning opening as the JK-8 Project Manager.

Asked about his favorite aspect of working at FWCD, Stackhouse said, “Every day has been different, and I’ve seen a school grow in terms of program and plant operations – that’s been the most satisfying.” Remarking on what he will miss most, he said, “The kids. The faculty. The crew. This group has always been our community. I have great respect for the roles that everyone plays in it. Taking on what needs to be done is a part of my makeup, but it’s also the culture of the School – we’re all in it together.”

The year 2020 is one we will always remember. The challenges faced as the world coped with COVID-19 required adapting to change after change. “Pivoting” became the word of the year, as new and updated guidelines for school, work and social distancing seemed to be issued daily. Let’s take a look at how Fort Worth Country Day met the many challenges of everyone’s new virtual reality.

Despite social distancing, the Fort Worth Country Day family found new ways to stay connected and engaged as a community. When FWCD Online launched on Wednesday, March 18, parents and students shared their digital learning “classrooms” as they “attended school” and learned at home. Some students showed up for their Zoom class meetings wearing their School uniforms, while others dressed down, taking comfort in fuzzy slippers, oversized sweatshirts and cozy pajama pants. One Upper School student even showed up in a tux on the first day … from the waist up! No matter the attire: Students worked hard to learn in their new “normal,” as faculty skillfully negotiated the move to online teaching, adapting their curricula to technology platforms. It was a time of pride for FWCD Falcons.

As students, teachers, parents and staff members distanced, the anticipated few weeks grew to more than a month, and it soon became clear the school year would end without returning to campus. Yet through this, the School remained #OneFWCD, and the academic year was completed with students and teachers navigating FWCD Online. “Recall that our faculty is loaded with amazing educators, but not one teacher was hired for his/her experience and ability to teach students who are only accessible online,” noted Head of School Eric Lombardi. “Wednesday, March 18, was our first attempt conducting classes and initiating learning entirely online.”

While each division’s teaching and learning looked different, the one thing that remained the same was the care and commitment to students from faculty members and the exuberance of the students being part of an online community. School days ran from approximately 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. across all the divisions, with teachers staying in touch with their students about expectations. Students and teachers were excited to see one another through various Zoom meetups and classes. Colin Douglas ’06, Upper School History Teacher and History Department Chair; Shari Lincoln, Middle School English Teacher; and Rona Mattocks, Lower School French Teacher, shared their observations and experiences moving from the classroom to online teaching. Each spoke positively about the support, service, and investment in training and technology offered by FWCD’s Technology Department, led by Dr. Steve Uhr.

To ensure he was meeting his students’ education needs, Douglas asked for continual feedback and made adjustments and improvements based on comments and suggestions. He also reserved time at the beginning and end of each class session for social conversations to encourage a sense of community and connection. “My teaching personality lends itself often to corny jokes,” he said. “I found that those don’t land on Zoom! And yet, I do feel as if I am better prepared for that challenge as we enter the 2020-21 school year.”

Lincoln used the “waiting room” function of Zoom as a replacement for greeting students at her classroom door. One of the adjustments she made was to keep the classroom flipped, with students learning the basic information asynchronously, so the synchronous lessons were more engaging with activities and breakout sessions. Another challenge was finding ways to conduct the refugee simulation during the study of southwestern countries of Asia. “I was concerned about how to make the simulation come alive virtually. When the students are all in the same classroom, the exercise is very exciting, and the students have to make decisions very quickly,” she said. “Using a combination of Google slides, Zoom breakout rooms and a die (for a chance element), students were still able to engage in the simulation. Students assumed the roles of Syrian refugees and, in small family groups, had to decide what to pack for a journey across the Mediterranean.”

For Mattocks, maintaining connections with her students was accomplished through office hours (for K-4) twice a week and teaching her third- and fourth-graders twice a week on Zoom. “My favorite activity was playing games, such as Quizlet Live, to practice vocabulary,” she shared. “ Students could access the game with a code and play remotely but together. They loved the novelty of playing together from afar like in an online video game.” Although there are definite advantages to teaching face-to-face, Mattocks added, “FWCD Online gave me more of an opportunity to give feedback directly and quickly to individual students and their families. They could

send in work at their convenience, and I could respond right away. When meeting in-person, I would only see them three times in a 10-day rotation.”

The Lower School initially hosted grade-level assemblies via Zoom for its students in grades 1-4 and expanded to reach junior kindergarten and kindergarten. The Lower School Instagram detailed fun activities and interactions, including an announcement about a virtual chick hatch in science, thanks to Security Supervisor Chad Peacock, who kept watch over the eggs, as well as updates about Tortilla the tortoise throughout the 10 weeks. Teachers touched base with parents one-on-one every two weeks to ensure that students and their families were doing well and able to move through the curriculum being presented on various apps, such as Seesaw and Google Classroom.

The Lower School and SOAR launched free live “elective” classes, hosted by Lower School faculty on March 30. An extension of FWCD Online, the courses were designed to provide students with fun educational content and to give them another way to connect with their teachers and classmates. The classes were scheduled during the day when students were not engaged in schoolwork. The Lower School teachers tapped into their passions in order to provide fun, optional offerings, including Movin’ & Groovin’ with Zumba® Kids (Natasha Hatcher and Gaby Booth); Storytime at Mrs. Hickman’s Bookshelf (Melissa Hickman); Zen-Out with Zentangles (Dorrine DeChant); Baking with Buddies (Kelly

(Clockwise) Payne Gregory ’26 set up camp in his kitchen to Zoom into class.

Mason Matthews ’30 commandeered a sweet space at home to get organized and keep learning.

Morgan Gatzke ’29 took to an at-home, outdoor sanctuary to focus on her school work while online.

Lanier Tierce ’93); Tinker Tuesday: Grades 1-2 and Grades 3-4 (Mandy Lofquist); Math Ninja Live (Teresa Hoppe); LEGO Closet Freebuild (Melissa Hickman); Dog Tricks with Mrs. McCullough & Buttons! (Sara McCullough); and Reading with Olga da Pulga (Rachel Fineman).

In addition to weekly classes, several one-time events were offered, including Parent-Child Book Club (Hoppe), Live Baking with Mrs. Whitney (Whitney White), and Falcon Trivia Live! with your host Bob “Barker” (Alicia Schordine).

Baking Buddies was a favorite among the students because the class ended with a little something to eat. “Mrs. Tierce’s cooking class was the highlight of Savannah’s week,” said FWCD parent Anne Low. “Our amazing Mrs. Tierce demonstrated just one more of her many talents, and we’ll be lucky if she doesn’t move onto the Food Network with a new show! Her recipes were simple, but not too easy, and always delicious! She encouraged the kids to follow directions, take risks with innovation, and inspired pride in their individual creations in the kitchen. I love how she interacted with the children and asked them who they shared their treats with. Her lesson: Cooking is about fun, creativity, sharing and, most of all, love!”

Middle School focused on building skills, ensuring that students were learning the fundamentals in their grade levels. “Thanks to our 1:1 iPad program, the Middle School was well-equipped to shift completely online,” noted John Stephens, Head of Middle School. Teachers and students enjoyed grade-level assemblies via Zoom to spark interaction and build community.

Recognizing the importance of play and physical activity, Middle School teachers invited students to join a virtual

On May 29, 2020, a survey was sent to parents to assess FWCD Online. The responses indicated overall satisfaction:

Lower School: 65% | Middle School: 75% | Upper School: 88% In all Divisions, parents felt, in general, “that students were connected with their teachers.” Sixty-five percent of Lower and Middle School reported feeling our program “leaned too much to asynchronous learning.” Upper School (86%) indicated they felt we had found “just the right balance between synchronous and asynchronous teaching.”

High comfort level with a return to campus for all students, faculty and staff as currently scheduled in August: Lower School: 73% | Middle School: 71% | Upper School: 67%

High confidence in the School’s ability to plan for community safety and health on return to campus: Lower School: 83% | Middle School: 83% | Upper School: 84%

recess competition using the GooseChase app. Students completed challenges and uploaded photos of their progress to receive points. While the competition was purely for fun, it was clear the Middle School students were watching the leaderboard.

“Connecting with students is what we do best in the Middle School. We wanted to minimize the loss of that connection under these social-distancing circumstances,” said Stephen Blan, Assistant Head of Middle School. “Mr. Stephens and I wanted the kids to enjoy some non-academic silliness with each other. After throwing some ideas around, virtual recess stuck. We then found the tech tool to make it happen.”

The division launched virtual recess, based entirely on individual play. Every Tuesday and Thursday, a new mission was launched in the app. Students had one hour to complete the mission and submit photo or video evidence. Some of the mission tasks included doing a crazy kitchen dance with family, sharing a family photo, sharing a photo of how family is passing time together, playing the game Kahoot, competing in a thumb war, showing the cutest pet, and making (and wearing) a pirate hat.

The greatness in this activity was that students were able to show what their days looked like, have time to be silly with their friends virtually, and feel more connected through participation.

(From left to right) Upper School Student Council members and their advisors met via Zoom to come up with creative ways to engage their fellow students while online and to ensure that a 2020-21 Student Council was elected.

Landry Moore ’30 missed school so much that she wore her uniform to Zoom class on some days.

Teachers delivered curriculum, offering support and assessing students for participation and the quality of their work. “We wanted to help students learn content and master the essential skills,” noted Steve Stackhouse, recently retired Head of Upper School. “We strived to convey key concepts in creative and meaningful ways.” Zoom meetings and Google Classroom were vital in delivering curriculum to students, as well as live chats and video feeds, which helped to overcome the isolation that all were feeling. “The sudden absence of community makes us appreciate it more,” Stackhouse said. “Even though we were not physically together, we are always One FWCD.”

Students also took up leadership roles using technology. The Student Council met via Zoom with their faculty advisors, to advocate for the students, and plan elections for the 2020-21 Student Council officers and board. Student Council Advisors Stefanie Luedtke and Jennifer Giroir worked hand-inhand with the Executive Board officers – Class of 2020

seniors William Burnette, President; Stephanie Cook, VicePresident; Natalie Claire Collins, Secretary; and Riya Patel, Treasurer. Together, they crafted a means to keep the elections on schedule by utilizing online platforms, which enabled candidates to apply, campaign for office, deliver speeches and, ultimately, ensure that voting took place.

Applications for all Executive Board positions went out to the student body via email. Campaigning for office took place the week of March 24-30. Instead of posters placed in the Upper School hallways, candidates submitted one “poster” that was “hung” in the GroupMe for each grade level. Candidates gave their speeches via video (three minutes or less); the videos were made available on the class GroupMe sites. Links to the candidate application form with responses, the video and transcript were emailed to Upper School students. Voting for President occurred online after an email was sent to all grade levels with a link to the ballot. Junior and sophomore elections followed the same format, and the Freshman board was elected in the fall as the class became part of the FWCD Upper School community.

Individual students also persevered in their efforts to serve others. Emma Pyron ’21 continued to foster her “tutoring” relationship with her kindergarten buddy, Owen Anderson ’32, via Zoom, earning the gratitude of Owen’s mother, Lauren Anderson (also an FWCD second-grade teacher). Upper School students are paired with Lower School students for some interaction and extra help in reading, math and more. Typically, the students get together in the Lower School Library for their meetings. COVID-19 has changed that interaction.

(Top to bottom) Josh Tower visited with FWCD fine arts students via Zoom. His Broadway credits include School of Rock, Motown the Musical, Ragtime and The Lion King. He had been on tour with the cast of Hamilton before COVID-19 closed performances. He took time to answer questions about life on tour, how he got into the business and living out his dream.

McGwire and Miller Humble, twins in the Class of 2032, created fun chalk art on their fence.

Sophia Jiang ’26 worked to perfect her dance artistry via Zoom online ballet classes.

Zoom ballet classes and choir classes became the norm. Students and teachers could be found in their kitchens, garages, home studios and outdoor patios for classes. Ballet offered online classes to grades 4-12. Theatre Tech students worked on lighting design.

FWCD Upper School fine arts students were treated to something special on April 2: A Zoom with Broadway touring artists Stephanie Umoh (Broadway credits: Junk, Falsettos, Ragtime. Touring: Hamilton, Into the Woods); Edred Utomi (currently playing Hamilton on the national tour); Josh Tower (Broadway credits: School of Rock, Motown the Musical, Ragtime, The Lion King. Touring: The Lion King, Motown the Musical, Hamilton); and Nicole Lewis (Broadway credits: RENT, Lennon, Hair, Frankie and Johnny at the Clair de Lune). These actors are currently waiting for their musical tours to restart and took time to answer student questions about life on tour, how they got into the business and living their dreams. FWCD Scott Theater Manager Eric Tysinger and Upper School Theatre Director Travis Guba assembled the distinguished group of artists. Fun fact: Guba and Lewis attended graduate school together at The American Conservatory Theater.

Middle School band, choir and orchestra filmed videos to share with rising fifth-graders who were selecting music classes for the 2020-21 academic year. Middle School theatre worked on facial expressions from afar, and Upper School Musical Theatre students worked on a group project to pitch musical ideas for next year’s show. The Middle School choir created a prideful rendition of the Alma Mater.

The visual arts were also in creation mode: Lower School art teachers worked with homeroom teachers on fun projects to complete at home; Middle School artists created sketches using items they had at home; and Upper School photography offered online critiques of student works. All divisions hosted Fine Arts Coffeehouses (see story on page 16) showcasing their talents.

FWCD’s Athletic Department did its part to help the community stay in shape, providing weekly strength and conditioning fitness routines for student-athletes or sharing videos of coaches keeping active at home on the Athletics Instagram. On Wednesdays, the Athletic Department posted a trivia question to its Instagram story, encouraging followers to answer. A Friday post revealed the correct answer. Head Baseball Coach Michael Settle ’99 hosted a Facebook coloring contest, complete with prizes, and asked parents to post their students’ work.

PE lessons were shared with each division and posted in the MyFWCD Portal. Lower School PE teachers also made surprise appearances in Zoom meetings to say hello and encourage younger Falcons to stay healthy and active. “What I truly love about our department is that everyone was ready and willing to step up,” said former Director of Athletics Brian Phelps. “With FWCD Online in its early stages, we wanted to start slowly so as not to overwhelm our parents and students. We gathered ideas, and everyone was eager and ready to contribute because we knew the value of exercise and how great it is for the body, the mind and the soul.”

Fort Worth Country Day’s three Health and Wellness Counselors, Kathy Roemer, Kathryn Sohne and Theresa Fuss (one for each division), also stayed connected with the FWCD community. Recognizing that changes cause disruptions in students’ regular routines and can lead to overwhelming feelings, the counselors focused on teaching resilience for students and families - maintaining a hopeful spirit, modeling a positive attitude, and collaborating as a family to discover creative ways to both learn and make the most of precious family time together. Together, the three continued online communication, hosted “office hours,” and found ways to telecounsel with students and parents who had a mental health need or just needed someone to speak with while school was online. To further help parents, students and faculty members, the counseling trio launched the Talking to your Kids about COVID-19 google site as a resource to aid in COVID-19 discussion and help manage the changes brought on by the constantly evolving situation.

So, what if spring 2020 did present challenges to every aspect of our lives? The FWCD community, as always, soared in its efforts to support one another. Students, families, faculty and staff came together, demonstrating the strength of the Falcon family, and, virtually, we all learned one significant thing: Falcons soar every day, everywhere – because we are #OneFWCD.